Coastal holds off Howard, loses to Panthers in semis

A change in venue did not squelch the excitement in the first match of the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Soccer Championship as No. 4 Coastal Carolina defeated No. 5 Howard 2-1 to advance to the semifinals against top-seeded Georgia State.

Played at Floyd E. Morris Field in Savannah, Ga., Coastal Carolina scored two second-half goals to earn its 10th victory of the season and keep its postseason hopes alive.

Howard opened the scoring in the 11th minute when junior forward Daniel Hart struck a low strike inside far pole for the first goal of his collegiate career.

The Chanticleers got back into the match in the final 45 minutes, first on a right-footed shot off a rebound from junior midfielder Tsiki Ntsabeleng in the 52nd minute to even the score. Later in the half, redshirt sophomore midfielder Tyrone Mondi hit the back on the net on a counter attack in the 65th minute for his third goal and second game-winner of the season.

The Bison battled throughout the second half on the offensive end but could not manage to get the equalizer to send the match into overtime.

Coastal Carolina now moves on to Friday’s semifinal matchup against Georgia State at 4:00 p.m. ET. Following that match, third-seeded Appalachian State and host and second-seeded Georgia Southern meet on the pitch at 7 p.m.

* Georgia State junior forward/midfielder Frank Rosenwald knocked in the game-winning goal in the 76th minute to send the top-seeded Panthers to a 2-1 victory over fourth-seeded Coastal Carolina in the first semifinal.

The win moves Georgia State to the championship final for the fourth-straight year.

The deciding goal came on a bouncing ball inside the six-yard box off a save by Coastal Carolina senior goalkeeper Chris Dattalo that found Rosenwald, who put a right foot on the ball and delivered it to the back of the net for his third goal of the season.

The scoring opened at Floyd E. Morris Field in the 12th minute as senior midfielder Max Hemmings headed in a cross from sophomore defender George Proctor to take the match’s first lead.

Coastal Carolina answered just before halftime in the 37th minute. A foul call in the box gave the Chanticleers a penalty kick and senior forward Jaiden Fortune made the opportunity count, drilling home his first goal of the season.

That would be Coastal Carolina’s only goal as junior goalkeeper Paul Tyson anchored the Panthers’ defense with four saves.